CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY

I APPRECIATE The Orlando Sentinel's article May 30 that described efforts by the Department of Consumer Health Services to find a dog that had bitten a Merritt Island teen-ager. Despite door-to-door interviews and increased patrols, this department was unable to find the dog. Without confirmation that the dog had received its anti-rabies vaccination and was healthy, the teen- ager was facing treatment.

News media assistance was requested. Telephone calls were placed to television stations, most of the radio stations and two of the largest newspapers.

The request paid off. On May 30 the dog was found and it was determined that it was both vaccinated against rabies and healthy. When we asked the dog's owner how he knew that we were looking for the dog, he said a relative called him because of the Sentinel's story and the report on Orlando's WCPX- Channel 6.

The reporter -- Ruth Rasche -- and the editorial staff of the Sentinel directly contributed to finding the dog and determining that it was both vaccinated and healthy. This meant that the teen-ager didn't have to go through the anti-rabies treatment.

We have forwarded a similar letter to WCPX. Both WCPX and the Sentinel have proved that they take their civic responsibility seriously.